Harvest Sunday: Giving thanks for our blessings and celebrating our diversity

For over two decades, the Sunday before the Thanksgiving civil holiday has been our Harvest Sunday.

Rooted in our African congregants’ traditions brought to America, and common thanksgiving practices shared among the many cultural heritages, it is a time to remind ourselves of the blessings we received from God in the past year and dedicate a portion of it to our common mission as Presbyterian Christians.

Harvest is also an expression of the diversity of our church family. Represented among us are not only Chicagoans and Illinoisans, born and raised, but also Cameroonians, Nigerians, Ghanaians, Kenyans, Ethiopians, Indians, Nepalese, Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, Koreans, Mexicans, Dutch, English, Scottish, Welsh, Nebraskans, Iowans, Michiganders, one from Hawaii, and others from all points in between.

One of our traditions on Harvest is to invite people to dress in the attire of their heritages—and then after worship, eat each others’ foods in our fellowship hall.

Edgewater Presbyterian Church has been cited and celebrated in the past, and at present, as a model for diversity within the Presbyterian Church (USA) due to our intentional embrace of cultural, ethnic, and economic differences. We don’t shy away from the accolades because we believe it is a reflection of what God’s kingdom should be like.

Here are some ways in which the Edgewater Kirk exemplifies this diversity:

Multicultural membership

Edgewater is one of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods. In fact, Edgewater and neighboring Rogers Park have been acknowledged at various times in recent history as having the most diverse zip codes in the U.S.

And the church reflects this diversity. In fact it goes beyond ethnicity.

The diversity includes roots in other religions (among our members are former Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Assemblies of God, Bahai, Buddhists, Shinto, agnostics and atheists) and non-heritage differences like gender identity, LGBTQ, and two-spirit identities; different abilities and disabilities; different places across the theological spectrum; and political backgrounds.

This representation mirrors the broader diversity that the larger PCUSA hopes to cultivate—and to create inclusive spaces where people from all walks of life feel welcomed.

Worship practices

The Edgewater Kirk incorporates elements of various cultural traditions into its worship services.

Our offering hymn is African, called Imela—adapted for us by Adaku Ukah from Owerri, Nigeria and arranged by our former music director Carolyn Bowes.

Our pastors and guest preachers have added music, prayers, and liturgical elements that honor our many heritages—while remaining faithful to our Reformed theology.

Community engagement

The Edgewater Kirk actively engages with our neighborhood, partnering with local organizations to address issues like housing insecurity, refugee resettlement, and food justice.

Our church building is home to two grassroots mutual aid groups.

Edgewater Mutual Aid Network helps keep financially insecure persons in the neighborhood afloat. They run a food pantry with distribution each Saturday.

Humanity Relief helps asylum seekers and recent immigrants. They have been a major source of aid for Palestinian and Latin American emigres.

Also sharing space in our building are various advocacy groups and youth programs for the underserved. Syrian refugee children play in our gym and receive assistance with their schoolwork.

Our pastor sits on the Edgewater Community Religious Association—an ecumenical group of Protestant and Catholic pastors, rabbis and cantors, imams, and other faith leaders.

These and other efforts reflect our church’s commitment to being a beacon of hope for all people, particularly those who are often marginalized.

Leadership and representation

Our kirk leadership intentionally reflects our diverse congregation, ensuring that decisions and ministries consider the perspectives and needs of its varied members.

Our Session invited a woman to lead as pastor thrice with the Rev. Barbara Cathey as its first female pastor, Rev. Amy Pagliarella as her associate pastor, and Rev. Kristin Hutson as our incumbent.

Without judgment of my LGBTQ identity, they elected me as Clerk of Session to help lead the congregation—something that was only recently permitted by the PCUSA.

These decisions align with our denomination’s focus on shared leadership and inclusivity—a hallmark of Presbyterian polity.

Welcoming refugees and immigrants

Edgewater has a long history of welcoming refugees and immigrants, as we noted earlier.

We are continuously looking for new ways to provide resources, community support, and spiritual care for refugees and immigrants—especially undocumented ones.

This commitment demonstrates the church’s embodiment of biblical principles of hospitality as found in Leviticus 19:34 and Matthew 25:35.

Advocacy for justice and equity

The Edgewater Kirk is known for standing in solidarity with marginalized communities, addressing systemic injustices, and advocating for equitable treatment of all people.

This advocacy extends beyond the church walls into public life.

We have written letters, pestered elected officials, and even marched as needed to preserve, protect, and defend people’s basic human dignities and rights.

When politicians from other states started bussing asylum seekers and dumping them in our city without season-appropriate clothing, we made our voices heard and we advocated for resources.

A Model for the denomination

Edgewater Presbyterian Church serves as a reminder of what is possible when a kirk commits to being an inclusive and welcoming body of Christ.

We hope our example challenges other congregations within the PCUSA to reflect on their own diversity and strive toward fuller inclusion, embodying the denomination’s commitment to justice and reconciliation.

This Harvest we remind ourselves not to take for granted many things.

We will not take for granted the gifts of God given us this past year and in the coming year—that we have enough resources to give and serve others.

We will not take for granted our diversity—and despite our differences, we are unified in dignity, pride, and respect for each other.

May we know many more Harvest Sundays ahead.